Automatic filling-replenishing loom



Dec. 2 1,520,721

A. E. RHOADES AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM Filed Feb. 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l \nvenTor.

Akingo E. Rhoodes Dec. 30, 1924- 1,520,121

A. E. RHOADES AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM Filed Feb. 23. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s Fig.2.

lnvenTor.

Alongo ERhoudes ATTys.

Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OIE HOPEDALE, LIASSACHUSET'DS, ASSIGNOR, TO DRAPER.COR POR-ATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC FILLING-REPLENISHING. LOOM.

Application filedFebruary 23, 1924.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo-E. Rrroaons, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hopedale, county of \Vorcester, and State of hlassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Filling-Re plenishing Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to automatic filling replenishing looms wherein a magazine or hopper containing a supply of fresh fill ing carriersis provided and wherein upon the call for filling replenishment a fresh filling carrier is transferred from this magazine or hopper to the lay. It sometimes happens that the supply of filling carriers in the magazine or hopper is allowedto runout. If this happens, or if for any other reason a fresh filling carrier is not in position in the hopper ready for transfer upon the call for filling replenishn'ient, it follows that when the call for replenishment occurs the mechanism will go through the operations of transfer but without transferring any fresh filling carrier from the magazine or hopper to the lay with the result that one or more picks of imperfect weaving will occur before the loom is stopped.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a construction in which if, after a fresh filling carrier has been transferred from the hopper to the lay, the supply of fresh filling carriers has become exhausted or for any other reason a fresh filling carrier is not brought into position,

ready for transfer that the loom shall then be stopped, thus enabling the operative to fill up the hopper or properly to position the filling carriers. therein so that a fresh filling carrier will be in position for the next transfer.

In my prior Patent No. 1,351,190, {.g rantedv August 31, 1920, the desired object is secured by a mechanism in which the stopping of the loom is, efiected, when the condition referred to arises through the agency Serial No. 694,505.

of the protector mechanism commonly employed on looms of this type to effect the The object of the present invention is:

further to provide a means for securing the desired result which may readily be applied to existing looms and with little or no alteration thereof.

The object of the invention is further to. provide such a means which is delicate and: sensitive in its action and requires. very little power for its operation.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed outin the claims.

The drawingsv show a preferred form of the invention embodied in an automatic filling replenishing loom of, the well known Northrop type provided with an ordinary form of protector mechanism.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partially in vertical. cross section and partially broken away of a portion of the loom with a preferred form of the invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a View in rear elevation of a,

portion of the mechanism shown in Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is atop plan View of a portion of .rier from the hopper to the lay to describe only those features particularly related to the present invention.

The patent to Northrop, No. 911,152, granted February 2, 1909, illustrates the ordinary form of protector mechanism.

In the loom illustrated for embodying a preferred form of the present invention, the breast beam 1 at the front of the loom supports at the right-hand side the hopper stand 2 in which revolves the rotary hopper 3 carrying a supply of fresh filling car riers etarranged in a circular series of peripheral seats 5. This rotary hopper acts in the usual manner to bring the filling carriers successively into transferring position which is the position occupied by the left- .hand filling carrier 41 in Fig. 1. This position is usually determined by the butt of the filling carrier being brought by the ro tation of the hopper into contact with a. curved abutment 6.

lVhen the running filling carrier has become wholly or partially exhausted suitable indicating mechanism sets in motion mechanism by which replenishment is effected by a transfer of a fresh filling car- 7 and by which the exhausted filling carrier is forced out through the lay. This transfer is usually effected by a transferrer 8 pivoted upon a stud 9 extending from the hopper stand 2. Upon the call for filling replenishment this transferrer swings downwardly forcing the filling carrier 4t against the abutment 6 out of the hopper onto the lay which is then located directly beneath.

It will be recognized that if a fresh filling carrier is not located beneath the transferrer orin position for transfer that the transferring mechanism will go through its motions without effecting any transfer and theloom will continue to run with the exhausted filling carrier thus making one or more picks of imperfect cloth which it is'highly desirable to avoid.

In the present invention whenever after lzransfer a fresh filling carrier is not brought into transferring position, or against. the abutment 6, the mechanism at oncc acts to stop the loom. So also, the looinmay be stopped if a filling carrier is absent from any other predetermined posit-ion in the the usual picker stick so that the shuttle cannot box and this arresting action is determined by the absence of a fresh filling carrier from a predetermined position, such as the transfer position, in the hopper.

The construction and operation of an ordinary form of protector mechanism is fully disclosed in the patent of Northrop above referred to. In this type of mechanism when the shuttle 10 is properly and completely boxed at the end of its flight it presses rearwardly the movable shuttle binder 11 which is normally pressed toward the shuttle box. The shuttle binder when thus pressed rearwardly moves a binder finger 12 clamped on an arm 13 which projects from the dagger rod 1 1 journaled in suitable brackets 15 on the front of the lay. The binder finger when thus moved rocks the dagger rod 14 and raises the forwardly projecting dagger 16 so that when the lay heats up with the shuttle properly positioned in its box the dagger will not engage the frog 17. If, however, the shuttle 10 is not properly boxed at the end of its flight or if it is trapped in the shed then the shuttle binder 11 will not be moved or will not be moved sufficiently to move the binder finger to elevate the dagger 16 to bring its path above the frog 17 consequently when the lay beats up with the improperly boxed shuttle, the dagger 16 will catch on the frog 17 and slide the frog forwardly. \Vhen the frog is thus slid forwardly its front end or bunter 18 contacts with the usual knock off lever 19 pivoted at 20 on the loom side and rocks the knock off lever causing it to throw the shipper handle 21 out of its retaining notch and allow it to spring to the end of its slot 22 and disconnect the driving power" thus stopping loom, all ina familiar and well known manner.

In the present invention suitable means are provided for detecting a predetermined depletion of the supply of fresh fillingcarriers in the hopper or for detecting absence of a filling carrier from a predetermined p'osltlon, such as the transferring position,

in the hopper. For this purpose a bracket" 23 is secured as by a set screw Qt'tO the transferrer stud 9 and depends therefrom. 7

On this bracket is movably mounted, as

by pivoting at 25, a feeler 26. In the form i illustrated the upper end of this feeler normally stands adjacent the abutment 6 and is held in elevated position by a fresh filling carrier at when in position in the hop per ready for transfer.- If the filling carrier is absent from this position then there is nothing to hold the feeler fingerelevated and it will swing downward about its pivot 25.

A hook member comprising a long rearwardly extending rod 27 carrying a block 38 with a rearwardly bevelled lower face and adjustably secured by a set screw to the rod is pivotally mounted at 31 on the bracket 23. This hook member is prevented from being thrown too far upwardly by a stop 32 projecting from the bracket 23 and is normally held in elevated position out of the path of the lay and a latch, to be described, by a lug 33 projecting laterally from the feeler finger 26.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated a bracket 34 is secured as by a bolt'35 and a set screw 36 to the rear of the lay 7 at the right-hand end. Upon this bracket is movably mounted an arresting device which is movable into the path of the usual picker stick 3'? after it has swung inwardly so as to arrest the operation of the picker stick and prevent the shuttle from entering the box. In the construction illustrated this arresting device is shown as a rod or bar 38 carried by the lower arm 39 of a lever having a hub 4:0 fulcrumed on a shaft ll supported at its ends in the bracket 3st. A helical spring r2 secured at one end to the bracket and at the other end to the hub 40' normally acts to swing the lower arm 89 of the lever forwardly and thus to carry the bar 38 into the path of the picker stick.

The arresting device is normally retained in inactive position or in the position illus trated in the drawings by a. latch. This latch is shown as a bell crank lever fulcrumed on a stud 43 projecting upwardly "from an arm 44; which projects rearwardly from the b "acket 34. The forwardly projecting arm do of this bell crank lever is notched at its forward end to engage an arm 46 projecting upwardly from. the hub 4E0 of the arresting device or lever. The laterally projecting arm 47 of this bell crank lever extends beneath the pat-l1v of the hook device 27, 28. A helical spring 48 engaging at one end the bracket 44 and at the other end with the hub of the bell crank lever, normally acts to swing the bell crank lever so as to maintain the notched end of its arm at?) in engagement with the armas of the arresting d e *ice and thus retain the arresting device in its normal or inactive position. A. handle 4.9 projecting laterally from the arm 46 of the arresting device enables the arresting device to be swung into position to engage the bell crank latch lever.

The operation of the mechanism will now be apparent. so long as a. filling carrier 4' is in place in the hopper in position for transfer the feeler 26 is held in its normal elevated position. The retaining latch lever 45. at? holds the arresting lever against the action of the spring 49. in its normal inactive position with the bar 38 out of the path of the picker stick 3?. The feeler finger 26 holds the hook member 27. 28 out of the path of the latch. The parts are then all in the position shown in the drawings. If no filling carrier is in the transfer io-sition in thehoppeiyas for example when replenishment takes place and no fresh filling carrier is brought into transfer position. there is not-hing to hold the feeler finger elevated and it swings downwardly about its pivot carrying with it the hook member 27, 28-. The lower bevelled face 29 of the block 28' allows the lay to beat forwardly if necessary without disturbing the latch. But upon the next rearward beat of the after the dropping of'the feeler 26 this block 28 of the hook member will catch behind the arm 4;? of the bell crank latch and swing it out of retaining posit-ion and allow the spring at? to swing the arresting device to carry the bar 38 into the path of the picker stick which will then have swung inwardly. Thus the picker stick is prevented from swinging outwardly and as the shuttle comes across the lay it strikes the picker stick and is prevented from entering the box. Consequentlythrough the usual operation of the protector mechanism, the dagger 16 is left in the path of the frog 1? and the shipper 21 is knocked off and the loom comes to a stop.

When the loom has been stopped under the action of the mechanism thus described. the operative then replenishes the hopper or places the fresh filling carrier in position in the hopper ready for transfer and resets the mechanism. Consequently no operation of the transferring mechanism can take place without a fresh filling carrier actually bein g transferred.

The mechanism is readily adapted to existing looms because the bracket 23 is readily placed in position on the end of the transf-errer stud 9 and carries the feeler finger and. connected parts while the bracket 34. is readily substituted for the usual bracket at the end of the lay and carries the remainder of the parts.

Having thus described the invention, what claimed as new. and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1.. An autonmtic filling replenishing loom comprising a hopper containing a supply of fresh. filling carriers for successive transfer' to the lay. means for detecting a predetermined depletion of said supply loom stopping means, protector mechanism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failure of the shuttle to box properly, and means controlled by the detecting action of the detecting means acting to prevent the shuttle from boxing properly and thereby to render the protector mechanism operative to effect the actuation of the loom stopping means.

2.- An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a hopper containing a supply llli of fresh filling carriers for successive transfer to the lay, means for detecting absence of a filling carrier from position ready for transfer upon the call for filling replenishment, loom stopping means, protector mecha- Y nism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failure of the shuttle to box properly, and means controlled by the detecting action of the detecting means acting to prevent the shuttle from boxing properly and thereby to render the protector mechanism operaive to effect and means controlled by the said movementof the feeler acting to prevent the shuttle from boxing properly and thereby to render the protector mechanism operative to effect the actuation of the 100m stopping means.

l. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a hopper containing a supply of fresh filling carriers for successive transfer to the lay, means for detecting the ab sence of a fresh filling carrier from a predetermined position in the hopper, loom stopping means, protectormechanism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failue of the shuttle to box propely, a picker stick, an arresting device movable into the path of the picker stick to arrest the operation thereof, and means controlled by the detecting action of the detecting means acting to effect the movement of the arresting device into arresting positionthereby to prevent the shuttlefrom boxing properly and thus render the protector mechanism operative to effect the actuation of the 10cm stopping means. i I

5. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a hopper containing a supply of fresh filling carriers for successivetransferto the lay, means for detecting the absence of a fresh filling carrier from a predetermined position in the hopper, loom stop-' ping means, protector mechanism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failure of the shuttle to box properly, a picker stick, a movable arresting device normally tending to move into the path of the picker stick to arrest the operation thereof, means for retaining the arresting device out of arresting position, and means controlled by the detecting action of the detecting means acting to release the retaining means and thus permit the arrestmg device to move into arresting position thereby to prevent the shuttle from boxing properly and thus render the protector mechanism operative to effect the actuation of the 100m stopping means.

6. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a hopper, containing a supply of fresh filling carriers for successive transfer to the lay, means for detecting the absence of av fresh filling carrier from 'a predetermined position in the hopper, loom stopping means, protector mechanism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failure of the shuttle to box properly, a picker stick, an arresting lever fulcrumed on the lay, a spring normally acting to swing the arresting lever into a position to arrest the operation of the picker stick, a latch for retaining the arresting lever in inactive position, and means controlled by the detecting action of the detecting means acting to release the latch and allow the spring to swing the arresting lever into arresting position thereby to prevent the shuttle from boxing properly and thus render the protector mechanism oper-. ative to effect the actuation of the loom stopping means. 7

7. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a hopper containing a supply of fresh filling carriers for successive transfer to the lay, a. movable feeler held against movement by the filling carrier in position in the hopper for transfer to the lay, loom stopping means, protector mechanism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failure of the shuttle to box properly, a picker stick, an arresting device mounted upon the lay and movable into the path of the picker stick to arrest the operation thereof, a latch mounted on the lay for retaining the arresting device in inactive position, and a hook held by the movable feeler out of the path of the latch during the movement of the lay but dropped in front of the latch upon the detecting movement of the feeler so that upon the next rearward beat of the lay the latch will be caught and tripped bythe hook.

8. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a, hopper containing a supply of fresh filling carriers for successive transfor to the lay, a feeler pivoted adjacent the hopper and held in elevated position by a filling carrier in position in the hopper for transfer to the lay, loom stopping means, protector mechanism acting to effect actuation of the loom stopping means upon the failure of the shuttle to box properly, a picker stick, an arresting lever fulcrumed on the lay, a spring normally acting to swing the arresting lever into position to arrest the picker stick, a latch pivoted on the lay and normally engaging the arresting lever to hold it in inactive position a hook pivoted adjacent the feeler and supported by the t'eeler when in elevated position out 01"? the path of the latch during the 3 movement of the lay but dropped in the path of the latch upon the dropping ot' the t'eeler due to absence of the filling carrier from transfer position so that upon the next rearward beat oi? the lay the latch will be caught and tripped by the hook. 10

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES. 

